Heavenly is the first book in a trilogy by author Jennifer Laurens. It was released as a paperback and eBook on August 15, 2009 and has been re-released on November 15, 2010. The paperback, published by Grove Creek Publishing, is 292 pages.

I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister’s guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him.

Zoe’s sister darts in front of cars. Her brother’s a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don’t see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe’s autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he’s legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny.

But Heaven on Earth can’t last forever.

Partying. Drinking. Hooking up. Some consider this fun. For Zoe Dodd it was just a way to escape.

Escape from the responsibility of taking care of her autistic young sister Abria. Escape to anyone who would give her the attention that she was missing from her parents and so desperately desired.

She never would have thought that all she needed were the feelings of peace, comfort and warmth that Matthias could give to her. But then she never thought that Guardian Angel’s existed either.

Matthias was not her Guardian Angel. He was sent to protect her sister Abria, an innocent. Yet Zoe could see him and talk to him as if he were mortal. The one thing she could not do was touch him. And she so wanted to touch him.

You can’t choose who you fall in love with, and Zoe is no exception. No matter how inconvenient or impractical, Zoe loves him. But does he love her back? With all her mistakes and flaws why would he? Can an Angel even love her as a mortal man would? And even if he does, what price would Heaven demand?

Is getting what you wish for worth any cost?

***

Heavenlyis a stunningly beautiful story about love, forgiveness and understanding. Only with the arrival of Abria’s Guardian Angel Matthias is Zoe finally able to find happiness and peace. Knowing her sister has someone Heaven-sent who is looking out for her takes that extra burden off her shoulders and gives her the strength to change the course of her life.

Not everyone is as accepting of Zoe’s happiness. No longer willing to turn a blind eye, Zoe is set on fixing her brother’s addiction. And with her new-found sobriety, Zoe’s best friend Britt has lost her party-girl partner in crime.

Complicating matters is Zoe’s growing love for Matthias. Her heart is fragile and the joy he has given to her can quickly lead to despair if her feelings go unrequited.

Jennifer Laurens has written a book that is a rollercoaster of emotions. Heavenly is sad, sweet, heartbreaking and heartwarming. Although involving the supernatural, the author has written a very real and believable story, touching on many issues that a girl of Zoe’s age might face.

Zoe is an extremely sympathetic character who is very easy to connect with and relate to. Abria is absolutely delightful. Her simple joy and sweet nature come through in the writing, making it easy to see why everyone is willing to sacrifice so much for her. And of course, Matthias is absolutely heavenly.

While this is the first book of three, it can be read on its own. The ending will not leave you hanging unless you choose to read the sneak peek of Penitence.

Reviewer gives this book ★★★★★

On a personal note:

I absolutely love this book. It’s one I’ve now read twice, and want to go back and read again.

That’s not to say that I don’t love the other two books in the series, but things take a much darker turn in Penitence and I just want to enjoy the smiley feeling I get from Heavenly for awhile before going on with the remainder of the trilogy.

Matthias is the perfect, not-so-perfect, Guardian Angel. I think his old-fashioned references are absolutely adorable. Only he could pull off saying something is “dandy” and get away with it. And I definitely don’t think Zoe would let anyone else call her a “sassy bearcat.”

His very interesting mortal past and circumstances surrounding his death are just teasers in this book, so you’ll have to read on to find out Matthias’s deep, dark secrets.

Though this is a story about Guardian Angels (versus fallen angels), it does not have an overly religious or morally preachy feel.

I did not completely fall apart after reading Heavenly though I did tear up. But if I recall correctly I did sob a bit while reading Penitence and Absolution.

This book, if you haven’t yet read it, is a must read for young (or not) adults who love stories about angels or just love a good love story.

***

How I “discovered” this book:

Heavenly is a “Just Discovered” re-read book.

I had read the first two books in this series back in July and then the final book in October when it was released. I absolutely loved the series and when the author had a giveaway of a print version of the book I was ecstatic. I figured it would motivate me to re-read the series in its entirety and then get a chance to pass the book along to a younger family member who I know would love it.

I did not immediately have a chance to re-read Heavenly until this past weekend, and have yet to re-read Penitence and Absolution but plan on doing so very soon. And I was pleasantly surprised to find out the book was signed by the author, so will just have to buy my niece her very own copy and keep this one for myself.

There is no question that this series is worthy of a re-read. I actually liked Heavenly better (if that is even possible) with the second read and discovered that I missed a few things simply because I was rushing to see how the story ended the first time around.

***

Heavenly includes a sneak peek at Penitence, the second book in the trilogy.

7 Responses to “Review: Heavenly”

I’m reading this now. I wouldn’t start this until I had all 3 books of the triology in hand. Now you say Heavenly doesn’t end in a cliffhanger!
Great review — your description of Matthias’ old-fashioned sayings remind me of Eron in Sleepless by Cyn Balog.
bmcbroom @ gmail.com

thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! i’m so happy to hear of a fellow blogger who loved this book as much as me i wish this book was better known.

you are so right when you say this book is a roller coaster of emotions! Heavenly wasn’t that bad, but penitence, omg! i cried like a baby. I’m barely on book 3 right now and I’m already dreading the end… I dont want it to end :[ hopefully Matthias and Zoe get a happy ending; dont get me wrong, I like Weston, but Matthias holds a special place in my heart!

Oh my, I’m sorry this is so long. Once again, thanks for sharing & i’ll let you know what I think of Absolution…. I’m pretty sure I’ll be re-reading the series again (and soon)

@Diana – I loved this series so much. It’s hard for me to imagine that not everyone knows about this book. I discovered it on Amazon, fell in love, told everyone I knew about it, gave them copies, made them cry.

Penitence killed me and Absolution… well, since you haven’t finished it, I can’t tell you, but I’ll say I knew it had to end the way it did.

And I love long comments, so feel free to comment as long as you like!

I definitely want to hear what you think about Absolution. I have to re-read this again. I just wish I could take a bloggy break to go back and read my favorites!

FTC

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